Microsoft Was Ordered to Stop Collecting French User Data

Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) ordered the tech giant to stop collecting excessive data on users of Windows 10 and showing them personalized ads without their consent.

The French data authority warned that Microsoft had 3 months to stop tracking users’ browsing habit to allow various apps to offer them targeted advertising without their consent. If the company fails to comply, the French privacy watchdog could initiate a sanctions procedure.

According to the CNIL, several EU data protection authorities set up a contact group in order to investigate Microsoft’s Windows 10 after its launch in July 2015. This demand resembles the one taken by the authority against Facebook. The latter was also ordered to stop collecting users’ information used for advertising without their consent in February.

It must be mentioned that Microsoft processes data on all the applications downloaded and installed on Windows 10 by a user, along with the time spent on each app. The company explained that this data is required to identify problems and improve its products, but the CNIL believes this is excessive since the data are not necessary for the operation of the service.

The French data authority also claimed that Microsoft puts advertising cookies on users’ computers without proper notification or a chance to opt out. Therefore, the CNIL decided to make the formal notice public because of the number of people concerned (there are over 10m Windows users in France). It clarified that the purpose of its request is not to prohibit any advertising on Microsoft services but to enable users to take an informed decision.

Despite the fines levied by European watchdogs being insignificant compared to the revenues of US tech giants, a new EU data protection law set to enter into force in 2 years allows to levy fines of up to 4% of a company’s annual global turnover. In response, Microsoft announced it would work closely with the French authorities in order to understand its concerns and work toward the solution.

Besides, the CNIL pointed out that Microsoft was still illegally transferring data to the US under the Safe Harbor framework, which the highest EU court struck down on concerns about mass US surveillance.

""The French data authority warned that Microsoft had 3 months to stop tracking users’ browsing habit to allow various apps to offer them targeted advertising without their consent.""

they still(french gov) are allowed to make law without our consent (aka "loi du travail")...... stupid government, 'tis about time that it get kicked out , everything is messed up here in france and they always search some excuse somewhere else.

like if cookies is something new, like if peoples arent allowed to lock the cookies on their pc ,etc... dat clearly show you the mentality of the actual french government

@1 : yeah ... well except for the fact that the CNIL is independent from the government. (And sometimes go against them when they mishandle data)
Also, if you know a way to deactivate cookies and tracking completely or even to a reasonable level in Windows 10, I know a few million people who would be very interested in that (We're talking about snooping at the OS level, not only the browser).

But sure, why would we want an independent council whose task it is to try to preserve a semblance of privacy to try to do its job, or point out that big companies are ignoring the existing laws (which are already pretty weak) and trying to lobby to have them removed ? We would not want that.

I trust Facebook and Microsoft to do the right thing, like everyone else ..... (And I also COMPLETELY trust the US Government to be careful with the data on french users that is stored there - they wouldn't do anything bad with it or try to access it using bullshit broad vague laws without warrants because it's on U.S soil so it is their property. And besides, once this data is on US soil, even tho I'm sure the government won't try anything sneaky with it, I especially trust the NSA and CIA not to try to access it illegally using back-doors, tapping fiber optic cables, etc.. Of course they should have access to my computer mic when Cortana is active, and know what I do every second of every day. How could this go wrong ? )

My philosophy : the more people have access to every aspect of my life (Microsoft, their affiliates, the companies they sell the data to, and the companies those companies sell the data to, etc.. , the CIA, the NSA, the U.S government, etc..) the less likely a leak or breach or abuse can happen ....

Let's get rid of those pesky privacy watchdogs and let Facebook, Microsoft and Google do whatever they want, (in US data centers, where nothing can get out of, "legally" or not, because I trust everyone)